Fee agreed: Jeremain Lens set to confirm switch from Sunderland to Besiktas

Ross Gregory

Jeremain Lens will bring an end to his Sunderland career in the next 48 hours after the Black Cats agreed a fee with Besiktas.

The Dutch international will undergo a medical after talks between the two clubs saw a deal agreed.

Sunderland had rejected a bid earlier this month from the Turkish side, who had earmarked Lens as one of their main summer transfer targets after he impressed on loan at rivals Fenerbahce last season.

The 29-year-old had been a big-money capture in 2015, costing Sunderland £12million when he was brought to Wearside by Dick Advocaat.

However, he fell out of favour under Advocaat’s successor, Sam Allardyce, and was loaned out to Fenerbahce, where he was one of the Turkish league’s most dangerous attackers.

Black Cats boss Simon Grayson revealed yesterday that talks were still ongoing with Besiktas, but the Echo understands that a fee has now been agreed.

And sources in Turkey say that personal terms have also been concluded with the player, who will now fly out for a medical and to put pen to paper.

The fee is undisclosed, but Grayson will hope he will be able to reinvest some of the wages the club has saved on a new striker, with Ross McCormack a target.

Grayson is still hopeful of being reunited with the Scot, who he worked with at Leeds. However Sunderland are looking for a loan deal, with a permanent move for the out-of-favour Aston Villa man too costly.

The Black Cats are interested in ending the 30-year-old’s troubled spell at Villa Park, but a permanent deal is a non-starter.

McCormack joined Aston Villa last summer in a £12million-plus deal from Fulham and commands a significant wage.

Villa boss Steve Bruce is open to offloading the Scottish striker after an acrimonious fall-out last season.

Wages continue to be the major stumbling block to any deal, as it is with a number of interested Championship clubs.

The seemingly imminent sale of Jeremain Lens could free up room on the wage bill to allow Grayson to pursue a player he managed to great success at Leeds United. The player would be keen on a reunion with his former boss.

Grayson has not commented publicly on the link and said yesterday that, keeper Robbin Ruiter aside, he does not expect any signings to be completed before tomorrow’s opening Championship match against Derby.

He said: “It just shows you what the size of the football club is that we continue to be linked with these good players. That will continue to be the case because of who we are.

“Will any deals be done for Friday? Probably not, but it doesn’t mean to say we’re not working hard.”